2009 Mercedes Benz C300: headlights failing or too dim

Filed Mar 12, 2026 · Electrical · 217,000 miles · AL

The contact owns a 2009 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the check engine, seat belt, and air bag warning lights illuminated. Additionally, the headlights and navigation lights failed to activate for a while. There was burning odor inside the vehicle with the heat activated or turned off. The contact also stated the vehicle failed to start for three days before eventually being able to start. The contact attempted to charge the battery, which resulted in a visible spark. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed with a sound module and the Signal Acquisition Module (SAM) failures. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 217,000.

Filed Mar 6, 2025 · Electrical · CA

While driving the car on [XXX] at 9pm on sunday, [XXX] in lane two during a heavy rain a audible clicking noise came from the drivers side front of the dash instrument cluster area and all of the lights on the car simultaneously turned off without ever touching the light switch i was unable to see the road in front of the vehicle also the windshield wipers quit working and the radio and navigation display went off and closed and opened and closed( turned off and then on and off again) the instrument cluster went dark as well, luckily i was able to turn the steering and apply the brakes and steer the vehicle onto the shoulder of the road and come to a complete stop after several attempts to turn the headlights back on i determined that the vehicle was not safe to drive , and had the vehicle towed to a reputable mechanic, and upon diagnosis he contacted me and stated that the drivers side front signal acquisition module A. K. A. the (sam) module had failed due to water intrusion into the fuse panel sam module area , the mechanic stated that i should file an incident /complaint form with your office , upon searching the MERCEDES BENZ forums and sites on the www i found many customers with a broad range of models (w204)approximately this same year model have identical complaints and nothing has been done by MB usa to remedy the problem, i believe this matter to be a major safety concern and i am wondering why this matter hasnt been taken into consideration by your agency and by MB usa as a safety recall to replace the failing modules and retrofit the fuse panel sam module area to prevent water intrusion thats causing the obvious safety concern and possible liability on the part of the MB/ DAIMLER corporation. it seems this is clearly a problem and it needs fixed we are terrified to drive the vehicle for fear of a repeat incident. Sincerely the [XXX] family INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Sep 4, 2024 · Electrical, Lights · CA

Headlight harness on drivers and passenger side is melting and my lights are flickering. I was advised to night drive my vehicle at night, because it could start an electrical fire. This is caused by heat from the lights.

Filed Feb 15, 2023 · Electrical, Lights · GA

While driving and when parked the headlights flicker on and off. I have no headlights while driving at night, during adverse weather conditions and during dawn hours. I could crash into other drivers, or they could crash into me because they can’t see me. When a parking bulb blows it fuses and melts everything together causing the replacement of the entire headlight unit, this has happened twice.

Filed Apr 29, 2021 · Electrical, Lights · 95,000 miles · CA

My vehicle continuously gives me warning/alert messages of headlight/signal/parking lamp issues. Upon inspection and taken to certified, reliable mercedes repair shops, lights are fully functioning, yet alerts continue on my display/dash. More importantly the electronic steering lock (esl) has failed on more than once costing very considrable amounts of repair bills, and it has happened without warning, I parked the car which has been perfectly maintained and with low mileage, and the steering wheel locks, making it almost impossible to even have it towed to be repaired.

Filed May 16, 2020 · Lights, Seats · 3,800 miles · GA

I purchased this vehicle in 2009 and over the years I have replaced both front headlight assembly, left and right at the cost of $800.00 each. I was told that a bulb blew fusing the wires together resulting in the replacement of the entire assembly. The driver seat head rest simply fell apart.

Filed Aug 30, 2017 · Airbags, Driver assistance · 59,000 miles · MA

Takata recall, brake power steering malfunction ABS,esp,ets,SRS.esb,ebr flashes on and off on message center. Then vehicle started to drive very rough and bumpy, then I had no control of the steering wheel and it totally locked thank god iwas able to try and roll it to the side of the road and the car just totally went black and died, no headlights and I have to have it towed, waiting to get the diagnosis from the dealer. But I have done some research on line and have seen hundreds of the same complaints from all over the USA and even oversees that it has to do with the eis. This saddens me to see all the same complaints and I thought that we were protected as consumers by the government, and the federal safety agency against major auto manufacturer such as mbusa to call out these deadly defects before it consumed innocence peoples lives. But it is obvious that our lives means nothing to these people, because with all these identical complaints this is a defect that should be address and mbusa should have the decency to take responsibility and admit that this is a manufacturer defect and do a recall. This is just too much complaints on this problem and no one seem to be taking this matter serious, and we as the consumers are being stuck with these major repair bills running in the thousand. What is the purpose in making these reports when no one seems to care. How many complaints do you have to receive on the same issue for the federal safety agency and the fair trade act to stand up for us, in october of 2016 this same vehicle self accelerate and crash in to two other vehicles causing a major accident and when reported to mbusa they claim they did there investigation and nothing was wrong with my vehicle, they place the blame on me .daimler ag would not believe what there prestigious company as become

Filed Jul 16, 2017 · Lights · 120,000 miles · TX

Headlight wires are corroded and melted. This seems similar to the tail light recall a few years ago that caused a fire.

Filed Apr 29, 2017 · Electrical, Lights · 45,000 miles · GA

This 2009 c300 was purchased new from the mercedes benz dealership in jacksonville fl as a retirement gift for 20 years of naval service. About a year later I noticed the daytime running lights continuously blinking during the day. The next problem is with the front headlight units each time a blubs blows, it fuses everything including wires together requiring the replacement of the entire headlight unit. This has happen three times with both the left and right headlight units. The difference in price is $28.00 for a replacement blub vise $600.00 plus dollars for the entire unit. The dealership has no problem charging me the cost to replace a manufactures defect and safety issue. There should be an immediate recall of this unit.

Filed Apr 25, 2017 · Electrical, Lights · NJ

Sockets for the parking lights above the headlights melted. Knowing that something similar was addressed with the tail lights, seems to be related. The tail lights melted the carrier and the cables now the same is happening on the front of the car. I am not the only owner of mb c300 experiencing a issue. We are concerned that our cars can catch up on fire.

Filed Oct 17, 2016 · Electrical, Lights · PA

I bought my mercedes benz and notice that my tail light and the light on the front of the car will turn on by itself while my car was parked in the morning my car battery will be dead needing a charge. I had a recall from mercedes benz dealer and I took the car to the dealership and supposedly they fix it and the car had gotten worse. It had burned the harnesses and fog harness, while I was driving the car was acting like shutting off the radio and AC will start shutting off and turning on at the same time while I was on the highway on my way home from work. Right now my car only have working the high beam. I been getting a lot of recalls for this car but really it seems like I'm loosing my time .

Filed Jan 26, 2016 · Lights · 165,000 miles · TN

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 mercedes-benz c300. While driving at various speeds, the headlights operated intermittently. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the headlight wiring was corroded and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 165,000.